Metropolis: 5/14/16
KCRW's Jason Bentley spins music by Kaytranada, Bibio, James Blake and more in a two-hour EDM mix.
Music & Culture
Chance The Rapper's 'Coloring Book' Reveals Shades Of Gospel
The Chicago rapper's new mixtape, Coloring Book, walks a line between the secular and the religious, bringing gospel sounds to listeners who may not have darkened the doors of a church in a while.
A Heavy Dose Of Glitter, Pyrotechnics and Politics At Eurovision 2016
Ukraine's Jamala is this year's winner with a haunting song about the mass deportation of Crimean Tatars during World War II. Politics are never far from the surface at the European song contest.
Tiny Desk Contest Stand-Out 'Seratones' Adjusts To Tour Life
Last year, NPR's Rachel Martin spoke to one of the bands that stood out in NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert Contest: Seratones. A year later, the band is releasing its first album.
Library Of Congress Opens 'Jazz Singers' Exhibition
The new exhibition features the likes of Billie Holiday and other jazz greats, from the 1920s to today. Photos, papers, video and scores are on display and will travel to Los Angeles later this year.
Before Leaping Onto Kanye's Records, A-Trak Forged A Career From Scratch
It was happenstance that brought the Canadian DJ and Kanye West together. But A-Trak — Alan Macklovitch — first made his name by winning an international scratching competition, when he was just 15.
The Danish String Quartet's Manifold Vision For Classical Music
"Classical music is many things," says violist Asbjørn Nørgaard. "It can sound like Coldplay. It can sound like heavy metal." The quartet's new album, out now, is called Adès/Nørgard/Abrahamsen.
'What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger:' Mr. Lif On Music And Healing
"I've suffered a lot of scars to get where I am," says the rapper, whose life was cracked in half when his tour bus crashed into a ravine. His new album, Don't Look Down, is his first in seven years.
Music Review: 'Monistic Theory,' Joe Driscoll And Sekou Kouyate
When Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate met at a music festival two years ago, they did not even speak a common language, but their musical connection was instant. Music reviewer Banning Eyre says their sophomore album, Monistic Theory is a refreshingly casual flow of rapping, singing, riffing and grooving.
Across the Blue Ridge #20 - New Directions in Old Time Music
Old southern music is new and hot for an upcoming generation of highly trained string players and singers. On this week's Across the Blue Ridge, we hear some adventurous approaches to ancient